Chasing Static
Top Critic Average
Critics Recommend
Chasing Static Trailers
Chasing Static - Release Date Trailer
Chasing Static - Reveal Trailer - Remastered
Chasing Static - Reveal Trailer
Critic Reviews for Chasing Static
Chasing Static creates a strong sense of nostalgia as the appreciation of late 90's era horror games shines through. The game works well as a throwback, but it doesn't work as well as a horror game in its own right. More than that however it is ultimately let down by an abundance of overly familiar narrative choices. Minding that, fans of PlayStation 1 style horror should still find something to love.
Chasing Static is a psychological horror game in which you play a character who stumbles upon a failed research facility. These always mean trouble, this time caused by a surrounding energy field that can make a person slowly lose their mind. Recovering the equipment to fix the field and discovering what happened won't take the player more than a few hours, but it's a mostly fun, constantly creepy time while it lasts.
Chasing Static is let down some by overused narrative tropes and a short length, but strong world design and enjoyable pacing help make it worth a playthrough.
Spotty connection of certain design & narrative choices aside, Headware Games' retro-horror title will do just enough to keep fans from changing the channel.
PS1 aesthetic fans will find a fun mood piece experience here, most others will likely feel underwhelmed by the shortcomings and averageness of what the game has to offer, compared to its peers.
The gimmick of using a PlayStation 1 presentation might attract an audience. But the game needs more than style to keep players engaged, even if only for the around three hours the story needs to reveal itself. Chasing Static has some good elements but it never manages to get the right mix for a truly engaging experience.
It won’t be winning any Game of the Year awards but Chasing Static is a compact narrative thriller worth an evening of your time. Its story isn’t as engrossing as those of its peers and it can be a touch confusing at times, but a mix of crunchy, nostalgia fuelled visuals, high quality audio and a great script make for an interesting combination.
